Genesis 29
1 And Jacob continued his journey, and went into the land of the children of the east.
Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
2 And he looked, and behold, there was a well in the fields, and behold there, three flocks of sheep were lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a great stone was at the mouth of the well.
As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well.
3 And when all the flocks were gathered there, they rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the mouth of the well in its place.
The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
4 And Jacob said to them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
5 And he said to them, Do ye know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do know [him].
“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, [He is] well; and behold, there comes Rachel his daughter with the sheep.
“How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
7 And he said, Behold, it is yet high day; it is not time that the cattle should be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, feed [them].
“Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
8 And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water the sheep.
“We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
9 While he was still speaking to them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was Rebecca's son; and she ran and told her father.
(He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house; and he told Laban all these things.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
14 And Laban said to him, Thou art indeed my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him a month's time.
Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15 And Laban said to Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall be thy wages?
One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel.
Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
17 And the eyes of Leah were tender; but Rachel was of beautiful form and beautiful countenance.
Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they were in his eyes as single days, because he loved her.
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her.
But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 And Laban gave to her Zilpah, his maidservant, to be maidservant to Leah his daughter.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
25 And it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Have I not served thee for Rachel? Why then hast thou deceived me?
When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
27 Fulfil the week [with] this one: then we will give thee the other one also, for the service that thou shalt serve me yet seven other years.
“Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week [with] this one, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to be his wife.
Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah, his maidservant, to be her maidservant.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
30 And he went in also to Rachel; and he loved also Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet seven other years.
So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31 And when Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
32 And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.
Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will love me!”
33 And she again conceived, and bore a son, and said, Because Jehovah has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this one also; and she called his name Simeon.
Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him Simeon.
34 And she again conceived, and bore a son, and said, Now this time will my husband be united to me, for I have borne him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi.
Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named Levi.
35 And she again conceived, and bore a son, and said, This time will I praise Jehovah; therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased to bear.
Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
